Friday, September 20, 2013

Review: All Our Yesterdays

Why I Read It: I like science fiction, and time travel is always an interesting idea. This has been on my TBR list for a while now (since before it came out- actually when the cover was different).

A Quick Intro: Em has been trapped in a cell for months. The world outside is falling apart, and all she can do is wait- she's got the voice of the boy in the cell next to her and a hidden note reading "You have to kill him". She knows what she has to do. She has to go back in time and stop the time machine from ever being created, no matter what the cost. She knows that fourteen versions of herself have tried and failed, leaving her in this present, where she is imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic doctor, who is only keeping her alive because he wants something from her.
Four years earlier: Marina is in love with her best friend James, who is a science prodigy, and may finally be starting to notice her. Until everything falls apart, and suddenly someone is trying to kill James and his life is crumbling. Marina will do anything to keep him safe- she's always been on his side, no matter what. But in light of a horrible truth, will she truly be able to stay with him?

What I Thought: Well, this isn't my first time travel book. It probably won't be the last. I have to admit I knew who both Em and the unnamed doctor were from the start. That said, I was still interested to know how they got to that point. In the beginning I found Marina pretty self-centered and shallow as a character, something she herself acknowledges later on in the story. James was clearly somewhat erratic from the beginning- even Marina, who adores him in the start admits that he's scared her before. Em has seen too much- she hardened, but she fears not hardened enough. She's been tortured, lost her friends and watched her world be destroyed, and she's quite broken. Finn is a very steady character. He's got heroic potential at the beginning (he goes after the shooter, in spite of being unarmed and probably more than a little traumatized). His first instinct is the right thing, and Marina has good intentions. They're both facing something that will be horrible if they do it- but even worse for them and the world if they don't.

There's a lot of action in this one. Em and Finn are racing the clock to do what they have to, and Marina is trying to keep James safe, while becoming increasingly concerned about whether or not she is doing the right thing. There's an emotional element in that there's a struggle to do the right thing, ans what the right thing truly is.

I know some people didn't like the ending, but I enjoyed it. Without spoiling anything, it is really bittersweet. There's some sadness- it doesn't end perfectly for the good guys, and a lot is left open. I like this one as a stand-alone actually, it doesn't feel to me as if it needs a sequel, and I'm not really sure if I'll read it when it comes out. We'll see.

I don't really subscribe to the theory of time travel in the book (do I sound geeky or what?), but it was interesting to explore. What if you could change the future by stopping something from happening in the past? This was an interesting read, which touched on the cost of doing the right thing, and the cost of our actions, and sacrifice.

If you've read this one, drop me a line in the comments. I would love to know how everyone else feels about the ending and the book in general. Do you think it needs a sequel? Was the ending good or terrible? Why? (Just make sure to put a spoiler warning for anyone who hasn't read it, since it is still in the first month or so.)